One killed in police firing in Goalpara over ‘doubtful voters’ protest rally

One person was killed in police firing in Assam’s Goalpara district on Friday during a protest rally.

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Police fired at a group of people who had taken out a protest rally on National Highway 37. The protesters demanded that the problems of ‘D’ voters (doubtful voters) should be solved. They also sought inclusion of the names of genuine Indian citizens in the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Police said the rally in Kharubosa area in Goalpara district was organised without obtaining the necessary permission from the administration. To disperse the crowd, police first resorted to a cane-charge.

“The police had dispersed the crowd by cane-charge. However, the agitators re-grouped and started pelting stones at the vehicles plying on NH 37. Following that, police resorted to firing which killed one person,” said Goalpara superintendent of police Amitabh Sinha.

The deceased was identified as Yakub Ali, police said. Reports said that an advocate, Nazrul Islam took the lead in organising the protest rally.

Islam was arrested earlier for his involvement in assaulting a judge of a foreigners’ tribunal. A court had sent him to judicial custody over the assault case and he was out on bail.

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